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Rudd wants Syrian regime held accountable

Australia will use its presidency of the United Nations Security Council next month to make sure those responsible for a chemical attack in Syria are held accountable, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says.

UN weapons inspectors will start investigating the site of a deadly suspected Syrian chemical attack in Damascus on Monday.

But there are concerns Syria's acceptance of the probe has come too late for the experts to fully establish the facts.

"There are grave concerns about the degradation of the site," Mr Rudd told ABC radio on Monday.

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Mr Rudd says Syria will be a top priority when Australia takes over the presidency of the security council in September.

"This will be a vital period ahead. We must act responsibly with the international community to make sure that those who are responsible for this mass atrocity are brought to justice," he said.

"You cannot just wave these things through to the keeper."

Mr Rudd spoke to French President Francois Hollande about the situation on Sunday and plans to discuss it with other world leaders in coming days.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr says the government will be upfront with the public if the US requests help for any action against the Syrian regime. He said the US was unlikely to put any "boots on the ground".

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he hoped the UN inspectors would be able to determine exactly what happened.

"Once that's been done it will then be up to the international community to consider a response," he told reporters.

"It's too early to speculate on what kind of action might be taken against the perpetrators of this atrocity, if that's what it turns out to be."